15:56
22.3.2014
Men in masks remove civilians in Belbek
Люди в масках выводят гражданских в Бельбеке pic.twitter.com/dLuBz23kzF
— Константин Рыков (@rykov) March 22, 2014
15:53
22.3.2014
Anders Aslund calls for "shock and awe" sanctions against Russia in interview with "Global Post."
If you look at Obama’s speech when he announced the new sanctions yesterday [Thursday], there was a new tone to it. I think he is finally coming around. The Treasury Department’s statement was also really tough. Europe is tagging along as well.
I would expect that there will be new sanctions, even tougher ones, next week. I hope that they will be targeted, not at individuals, but at corporations, as I have suggested.
What we need is the Powell doctrine here. [General Colin Powell, who, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1990, advocated that the US use overwhelming force if it is committed to war.]
We need “shock and awe.” The alternative is war.
I would expect that there will be new sanctions, even tougher ones, next week. I hope that they will be targeted, not at individuals, but at corporations, as I have suggested.
What we need is the Powell doctrine here. [General Colin Powell, who, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1990, advocated that the US use overwhelming force if it is committed to war.]
We need “shock and awe.” The alternative is war.
15:49
22.3.2014
#Ukraine tank holding a position near the border with #Russia. Is this really happening? pic.twitter.com/AmDxSrXTpc
— Lucian Kim (@Lucian_Kim) March 22, 2014
15:47
22.3.2014
Media corralled by #Russia forces at Belbek. All waiting to leave at front gate. Angrily telling us not to film.They want to finish this off
— Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) March 22, 2014
15:47
22.3.2014
There it is - Russian Foreign Ministry says OSCE mission to Ukraine (but not Crimea) shows it accepts "new realities" http://t.co/POoTrV79ZL
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) March 22, 2014
15:38
22.3.2014
Veteran CIS watcher Andrew Wilson of the European Council on Foreign Relations has a piece on foreignaffairs.com explaining how Putin gave up his dream of a Eurasian Union in taking Crimea. Now, Wilson argues, even Belarus wants out:
"Putin’s short-term victory is already coming at the expense of his most cherished long-term strategy -- the creation of a Eurasian Union, a trade union linking Russia and its closest neighbors. In other words, as the invasion expands Russian territory, it will diminish Russian influence in the very places he’d like to increase it. One need only look to Belarus, which is already beginning to hedge against its alliance with Moscow, to see why."
"Putin’s short-term victory is already coming at the expense of his most cherished long-term strategy -- the creation of a Eurasian Union, a trade union linking Russia and its closest neighbors. In other words, as the invasion expands Russian territory, it will diminish Russian influence in the very places he’d like to increase it. One need only look to Belarus, which is already beginning to hedge against its alliance with Moscow, to see why."
15:38
22.3.2014
ITAR-TASS is reporting that Ukrainian border guards have unilaterally closed the exits to and entry from the Ukrainian mainland. Cites an unidentified Kremlin representative in Crimea. No other corroboration.
15:33
22.3.2014
Another live feed from Belbak airbase is working, for now:
Never mind. This appears to be old footage. Our mistake...
Never mind. This appears to be old footage. Our mistake...
15:32
22.3.2014
Live feed from Belbek air base is back up: http://t.co/6juRL1hBOS
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) March 22, 2014